Life Is Different Now
by GothicAngel-sama
Summary: Lilith has lived her entire life sheltered Vault 101. Everything is fine till one day her dad leaves. With him gone and Jonas dead, she has two choices: die in the Vault or brave the Capital Wasteland and find her father. What will happen next? OC (Rated M for harsh language and graphic storyline.)
1. Prolouge

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back lol! So, I know this is so different than my usual posts, but I must say this: I HAVE BECOME ADDICTED TO FALLOUT 3! Lol yea, I know, I have no life so I'm trying something new. As always: read, review, fav, follow, or flame. Till next time my beautiful peoples!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS GAME STORYLINE. THE CHARACTER USED ARE NOT MINE EITHER. THE ONLY THING THAT I OWN IS THE FANFIC THAT I WROTE AND THE OC LILITH. ENJOY!**

Life Is Different Now

My name is Lilith and this is my story.

I suppose I should start from the beginning. The year was 2077 when a nuclear war broke out. Atom bombs fell and no one was safe. The entire world was plunged into chaos. When the bombs were dropped it really effed up the ecosystems. Normal harmless animals became ruthless and mutated. Many people died from radiation poisoning or became zombie- type humanoids. Water supplies became irradiated. A team of elite scientists gathered and devised a plan dubbed "Project Purity". The goal of Project Purity was to filter the water to clean it and make it reusable again.

My story truly begins some years later when my father, James and my mother, Kathrine met. I'm not sure where, why, or how, but they fell in love and I was conceived. They were both apart of Project Purity, but after I was born and my mother died soon after, Dad thought it was too risky to try to raise a baby in the Capital Wastelands. So instead, Dad and I went to Vault 101 and that's where I grew up. Life in the Vault was, okay I guess. I mean it's not like I have anything to compare it to, but I was safe.

We lived in the Vault for 16 years. At 10, like any other kid in the Vault, I got my very own PipBoy3000. It's a huge milestone in Vault life. I was old enough to work. My best friend Amatia was the Overseer's daughter. The Overseer is kinda like what a 'president' used to be before the bombs dropped. They didn't teach us much about life before the bombs. I used to wonder if people back then had to live in Vaults like we do now.

One day though, my dad left the Vault. Amatia told me that her father's guards had killed Jonas, my dad's lab assistant, because they suspected him of helping my dad escape. I only had about half an hour to figure out how to get out of the Vault before they caught me too. Armed with my few belongings and a borrowed 10mm, I made my great escape into the Capital Wasteland.

God help me.

 **A/N:So that's the first chapter and I'll be posting more soon. As always, I love the feedback!**


	2. Why Are You Helping Me?

**A/N: Hey, so this update wasn't as soon as i would've liked it to be, but i am swamped with papers nd shizz. So as always feedback is a lovely thing and to those who followed/faved this story pm me if you gots any special requests and ill see what i can do cause i am legit flying be the seat of my pants with this one. So without furhther to do: Chapter 1! WHOOOOO!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I OWN ONLY THE OC's AND NOTHING ELSE BUT THE PLOT OF THIS STORY BACUSE IT IS A FANFIC! MEOW!**

 **Chapter 1: Why Are You Helping Me?**

After I left the Vault, I wondered restlessly for hours. I wasn't sure how long I would be able to last since I didn't get a chance to pack any food or water. I trekked in the hot sun for hours and eventually found a piece of rope to tie my hair up in a messy bun. I have never seen first-hand the effects of the radiation on the animals. Dogs, surprisingly, weren't mutated at all. They became ravenous and blood thirsty. They attacked anything that moved, and sadly that was me.

A pack of three wild dogs charged me and I brought up my loaded 10mm. I leveled it quickly with the first dog and pulled the trigger. It whimpered and crumped to the ground, I wasn't sure if it was dead or alive but I wasn't gonna sick around to find out. Aiming quickly at the closest dog, I pull the trigger again and miss the shot. They both lunge at my legs and I fall backwards onto my ass.

"Son of a bitch, I'm about to fucking die!" I scream as I scramble backwards and pin my back to a rock. "Fuck me," I whimper as I slam my head repeatedly. The dogs are circling in closer and closer, nipping at my feet and legs. They were toying with me and I knew it, the miserable bastards. I should've just stayed in the Vault. I should've let the Overseer's men take me away for questioning. I should've done so many things. I wish I had at least gotten to say good-bye to my dad before he left me.

I remember the day I had to take the G.O.A.T test. I tried to fake being sick, but seeing how he was the Vault doctor, I didn't exactly get out of the test. I think he would've let me, but it was mandatory and he didn't wanna get in trouble with the Overseer. That paranoid old fuck. He would trip out over the smallest things, but now considering how Dad is gone and I'm about to fucking die in the Capital Wastelands I guess his paranoia really was helpful.

Heh. Funny what you think about when you're about to die isn't it? I didn't even wanna try to fight death this time. Besides, what are the odds that Dad is still alive out in this hellhole? Slim to fucking none. _'At least all go out with a bang,'_ I think to myself as I pull out a frag grenade from my pack.

"I'll see you in hell you sick fucks," I prepared to pull the key until I heard gunshots come from behind me and the dogs crumple in bloody heaps.

"Fuck yea! You got 'em Johnny!" said a man who looked to be about my age, but in the Wastes a boy had to become a lot quicker out here than it would anywhere else. It sucks. The man had wavy dirty blonde hair and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. He stoops by the dogs and slits their throats with a combat knife. The second man jumps over and stoops by the first.

"Nice shootin' Tex," says the blonde turning to look at the other. The second man is sturdy and built like a house. He looks like the kind of guy who can snap you neck with his bare hands. On his back he had an assault rifle, his hip held a .32 pistol and strapped to his thigh, a combat knife similar to his companion.

"Thanks, but what we gonna do out the bitch sitting there staring at us?" the first man, Tex, addresses the other. Johnny I'm assuming. They both turn around to look at me and I flush pink. They are both extremely handsome men, the dashing sexy rouge look is working for the both of them.

"I'm not sure," Johnny says standing up and brushing his dark hair from his almost black eyes. "What do you think we should do with her?" he spits to his left and wipes his mouth staring at me with a sick grin. I can only imagine what's going through that sick little mind of his.

Finally, I get tired of them talking about me as if I weren't sitting right in front of them and calling me 'the bitch' as if I were some kind of fucking lapdog. Ha, not bloody likely.

"I do have a name you rude assholes," I brush the dirt from my ass and replace the grenade in my pack and the 10mm at my hip. "And I really don't think you two freaks of nature should be deciding anything for me. So, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." I push my way past them and only get about ten steps away before Johnny speaks again.

"Doll face, you wanna see a freak of nature? Check out a Ghoul. Or a Super Mutant. Hell, the first time I saw one of them Centaurs I damn near pissed myself." I turn quickly on my heel in time to catch the large man shudder.

"What the fuck you goin' on 'bout?" I ask him cocking my hip to the side. "Cause I ain't got a damned clue what you are talking about."

"Don't pay him no mind," says Tex stepping closer to me. "So what is it?" he says staring at me.

"What is what?" I give him a blank stare before it dons on me. "Oh, Lilith. My name's Lilith. What's yours?" I ask nodding to the pair. Johnny pulled out his combat knife and starts to clean his fingernails with it. I'm not sure why, but I get a bad vibe from this one. I'm going to have to keep a real close eye on him.

"We ain't no one of importance to a pretty little bitch like you, but you can do us a favor to make a few extra caps. Out here, you ain't got caps, you ain't got a life." Johnny answers without looking up from his hand and knife.

Okay, did he seriously just ask me to sleep with him for money? What the fuck do I look like? A fucking whore? Goddamn, I may be desperate but I ain't that fucking desperate. Before I could lay into the huge brute for his indecency, Tex spoke again to disarm what could be a very gruesome out some.

"As I said, Lilith, don't pay him no mind 'cause he's harmless. I'm Tex and he's Johnny. I'd like to make a deal with you, but after what loud mouth here just pulled out of his ass I doubt you'd like to take me up on that offer." He shoots Johnny a dirty look and Johnny just shrugs back at Tex as if he can honestly careless about me, or him, or anything really. He's big enough that maybe people wouldn't wanna fuck with him.

Then again people do crazy things when they're desperate.

"Depends on the offer there Tex, and if it's anything near to what the giant had suggested, why don't you just go jump off a cliff?" I answered with a sickly sweet smile and then rolled my eyes. I really was tempted to join up with them, if that was their offer anyways, because let's face it. I'm a Vault rat. I know absolutely shit about the Wastes and these guys apparently know something because they aren't dead. Yet.

"It's not like that, sweetheart, so don't get too excited," Tex said with a grin. "I was just wondering if you wanted to join us till we got to a town because judging by the clothes your wearing and the fact that you can't even take down two dogs without a frag grenade and damn near killing yourself in the process." His smile became softer as he searched my features. I'm not sure why, but I felt a connection to him.

With a sigh I nodded my head in agreement, though I couldn't help but wonder why they're helping me. They both nodded back and turned back the way they had come. I wasn't sure how long we'd have to walk till we got to the next town or how long it would be till I found Dad, but I hoped it was soon because scouring the Wastelands with these to rouges who were both as likely to help me as they were to kill me wasn't exactly my idea of a good time. Unless one just so happened to be totally sexy with a totally fine ass.

Hey, just because humanity is doomed doesn't mean that a girl can't have a little fun if you know what I mean.

 **A/N: Reviews and feedback is love! Till next time my lovely peoples!**

 **GothicAngel-sama out \m/**


	3. Out Here, Rules Don't Exist Anymore

**A/N: Hey, I'm back with a new chapter! So this is to make up for the like week long delay for the last chapter and i may even have the next one done tonight, so like a triple update in like 18 hours? Who's awesome? So as always feed back is love and pm or review with anything!**

Out Here, Rules Don't Exist Anymore

We walked until sundown, but we didn't get much farther than about a mile from where they found me. I was starting to get hungry, and thirsty, and tired but I didn't dare complain because at this point the last thing I need is them decided that I'm too much trouble because I'm a spoiled Vault brat that's had everything handed to her on a silver platter since birth. That is in no way shape or form true, but compared to them - whom I'm assuming actually grew up out here - I was a pampered rich girl.

"So how far did you say this town was?" I asked Tex who was five paces ahead of me scouting our route. Johnny was about ten behind me, and I couldn't help but look back every few minutes at him. I still couldn't trust him not to rape me or something, plus he and that knife are a little too chummy for my liking.

"I didn't," replied Tex without stopping or breaking stride. "You hungry?" he slows a few paces to walk on my left. He pulls his left arm out of the strap of his pack and unzips it. "Here," he says handing me what looks like a bundle of rolled up old papers.

"What is it?" I ask as I unwrap it cautiously. It looks like chunks of meat on a stick. I bring it up to my nose and smell it. It has a charred smell, but I can't identify the meat.

"We got it off some raiders," comes the reply as he pulled out two more and passed one to Johnny. My eyes grew in size when he said that. _Raiders? Who in the hell are they? Oh god. Don't tell me these guys eat people?!_ I thought to myself having a min freak out. Tex must've seen my reaction because he started laughing. "No Lilith, we don't eat people if that's what you're thinking. When I say we got it off some raiders, what I mean is that we came across a raider camp as they were cooking and we killed them all and took they're gear." He smiles at me and I felt my heart flutter. "That's how we got so much cool stuff now."

"Oh," was all I could manage as I flushed again. I pulled off a piece of the meat and stuck it in my mouth. It was kinda greasy and flavorless. It wasn't human flesh, so I ate it with no complaints. Plus, it filled my stomach and chased away the hunger pains.

After I ate, I kinda zoned out and lost track about that time.

I think it was because of the heat, but then again, the meat could've been tainted too. I started to see shapes moving on the horizon of the setting sun. My footsteps became heavy and so did my eyelids. We started up hill, and I felt like I was gonna die.

"Let's make camp here." Tex said once night fell. We had stopped near a partially fallen bridge and the stones made a sort of cavern that you can't see into unless you stooped and walked into it. It didn't really seem like the safest place to stop for the night and rest, but it seemed I was out numbered two to one because Johnny didn't object to it, he simply grunted and pulled off his pack.

I pulled off mine and sat a small distance from him. As I said before, I'm bloody fucking terrified of this giant. Tex though, yes he scares me for the simple fact that I have no idea who he is. Yes, I do know his name, but I don't know his past. What did he want from life? Who were his parents? Did he have siblings, relatives in the Wastes? Where exactly where we headed?

"You okay there, Lily?" the sound of Tex's voice snapped me back to reality and I noticed that I had been staring at him as I spaced out. He smiled softly at me like he knew what I had been thinking and I blushed.

"Yea, I'm fine. Just thinking that's all," I gave him such a vague answer cause I was pretty sure that he could just guess the rest. He nods silently and leaves it at that. Johnny makes no comment just gets up, replaces his pack on his back, and walks away towards the setting sun. "Where's he going?" I ask Tex turning my body to watch him walk away. Tex shrugs at me and pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a box of matches. He pulls one from the pack and slips it in his lip, striking a match, he lights it then shakes it out.

"He does that sometimes, just leaves me to go his own way without another word. He almost always comes back. The longest he's left me out here by myself was about a week. I found him by the river bleeding out his leg. I thought he was a goner, but I hauled his fatass all the way to Megaton to the doctor there. He saved him and we went on out merry way once again." He followed my gaze out to where Johnny was, his step never faltered and he never stopped to look back at us.

"Should we go after him?" I asked pushing myself up to sit on my knees. "Won't he get hurt out there by himself? Or lost?" I turned back to look at Tex who had a faint look of amusement playing over his features in the dying light.

"I think he'll be fine, Lily." He grabs his pack and starts to pull out his supplies. He grabs my back too before I can object and goes through it. "Police baton, comic book, and three ammo clips. You didn't bring any food?" He shakes his head and starts to divide up his contents. His amounts to more than mine does. He has several clips of ammo, a few knifes, couple grenades, four moldy bottles that slosh when he moves them and a larger bottle of amber looking liquid. "You want a drink?" he asks pulling the stopper of the amber liquid and taking a large swallow of it. He wipes his mouth with his already grungy sleeve and holds out the bottle to me.

"What is it?" I ask taking the bottle and smelling it. The scent alone burns my nostrils. "Is this whiskey?"

"Sure is sweetheart. You gonna drink some or not?" he asks gesturing to the bottle. I smell it again and cringe my nose.

"What the hell? Why not?" I answer with a shrug and take a drink. The lukewarm liquid burns a trail of fire down my throat and it takes a bit sour at the end. I cough as I pass the bottle back. "Are you sure that it's okay for us to drink whiskey?" I wipe my mouth as warmth starts to blossom in my chest and stomach. My head starts to feel fuzzy and I shake my head to try to clear the feeling.

"I'm going to let you in on a secret: out here, rules don't exist anymore. You do what you can to survive. It's kill or be killed and if you stick with me, you'll last awhile." He takes another swig and passes it back, his predator gaze never leaving me. I take a small sip and he chuckles at me.

"What are you laughin' at asshole?" My words slur slightly, but I ignore it in favor of staring him down. "You think I'm funny?" I can feel my cheeks flush with heat again and I can't tell if it's the booze or him.

"I'm laughing at you because you are obviously a lightweight," he looks at me somberly. "Have you ever had a drink before tonight?" I stare at him blankly trying to register his words. I shake my head again to clear the on setting fuzz in my head.

"No, I don't think I have, but then again, I don't think we ever had anything like this in the Vault." I burst out in giggles and sit up on heels and look at him. "Oh my God. I don't remember. I don't remember anything!" I stared at him blankly and him back at me before I started laughing and fell beside him. Liquid courage coursing through my veins, I put my head on his lap.

"Well hi there," he says with a smile looking down at me. "May I help you this fine evening milady?" He runs his hand through my hair and I sigh softly and let my eyes drift shut. He starts to hum. It sounds something like a lullaby.

"Where did you learn that song from?" I whisper without opening my eyes.

"From my mom, she used to sing it to me every night until I fell asleep."

"My mom's dead," I state quietly. "She died when I was born. Every day Dad would read me her favorite Bible verse. 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost to the spring of life.' I always loved that verse because she loved it. Now I'm out here alone looking for my dad because he left me in the Vault. I have no idea where he's gone or if he's even alive." I break down in the silent tears I have been refusing to let myself cry before tonight.

I hate mom for dying. I hate dad for leaving me. I hate the Overseer and his troops for killing Jonas and forcing dad to leave me there alone! I hate my life. I cry for what seems like hours until I can't cry anymore and I just lie there taking in shaky breaths. My breathing steadies after awhile and I began to drift into unconsciousness still with my head on Tex's lap and Johnny wondering the big, bad Capitol Wasteland by himself. In the silent night, I hear Tex speak softly out loud, thinking I was already asleep.

"Shh, you'll be fine Lilith. I promise I won't let anything happen to you," he whispers the promise to the wind, to the earth under us, to himself, but not to me. Dad had made the same promise to me before too, now look where we are. He's gone AWOL and I'm out here trying to find him.

Some father he turned out to be huh?

 **A/N:So, what did you think? Feedback is love and be on the lookout for another update before Monday morning! :)  
-GothicAngel-sama out. \m/**


	4. Well Now What?

**A/N: I know I had a lot of typos in my last updates, but I went back and fixed them so hopefully they do fix on here cause I know it sometimes glitches. Or I'm just sooo simple that I can't figure it out. Whatever the case may be, I hope you, my faithful readers do enjoy this story! Oh yea, I also hope you noticed that I changed the genre tags. It will be partly romance, or mostly romance cause as I said this is a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants project. If you have any requests, put em out here for me yea? So as always, feedback is love and I'll see you next time.**

Well Now What?

I woke up the next morning with a monster head ache curled up into Tex's side. I don't really remember all of last night, but I wasn't about to protest waking up in his arms. If my shitty memory serves me correctly, I had fallen asleep with my head on his lap as he smoked a cigarette. I love the smell of them. I don't know why, but I just do. Does that make me weird? Oh well, if it does then I'm totally okay with that. I snuggle up closer to my wall of heat and drift off again.

I wake again because I'm cold. My personal warmth was gone. I tried to roll over and find my heat again, but something sharp stabbed me in the side, making me jump. "Ugh, I don't wanna wake up yet. I'm cold and it's too early to be alive." I sat up despite my grumbling. I really didn't want to wake up, but my nature was calling and I really need to pee. Like really bad. I got to my feet and stretched the soreness from my limbs. "Morning," I called to Tex who was sitting a few feet away from me with his back turned my direction.

He's bent over a piece of paper or something. He doesn't answer me when I talk to him. "Well eff you too then," I mumbled to myself as I bent to pick up my 10mm from the ground where it laid. "I need to pee really bad so stay over here and don't even thing about following me you pervert cause I'll put one right between your eyes." I said in a half-serious tone.

He grunted his acknowledgement, but offered no other indication that he heard me. I decide to hike away from him since he does have his back turned to me. He can't see where I'm going anyways so it's okay. I stopped far enough away that he couldn't see anything if he stood up and walked a little ways towards me without me seeing or hearing him. I relived myself behind a bush and then made my way back to Tex, praying to God that I was going the right way because that was totally the last thing I needed was to get lost and mauled by dogs or one of those other creepy ass things roaming the Wastes.

I was walking away from the sun when I left, so following my same path of logic if I walked towards the sun, I should find him in no time. I hoped anyways. Sigh. Why didn't I demand he take time away from whatever he was doing to guard me as I pissed in the bushes? Oh yea, I know, because I didn't want to sound like a needy little fucking brat.

Damn my pride and damn this stupid fucking Wasteland.

I don't want to admit it, but I think I'm lost. I don't exactly which way I'm supposed to go cause I didn't exactly have time to grab my compass. Shit, well this sucks. Seeing no other options, I square my shoulders and walk what I think is the right way. My footsteps crunch on the ground rhythmically. I'm still fucking hoping though that I'm going the write way and I ain't gonna end up getting my dumbass killed.

The sound of my footsteps drones on and I know I'm lost. And all I have is my gun and a single clip of ammo. Fuck me gently with a chainsaw while running, what the fuck am I supposed to do now? Sit and wait for him or Johnny to find me? That doesn't sound like a very pleasant option. I have no choice but to continue walking.

Honestly, I'm kinda starting to wonder if it's too late to go back to the Vault. I snort at the thought. Yea fucking right, as if I can make it back to the Vault. I couldn't even walk 100 feet from my guide without getting myself lost. I have a better chance of growing wings and flying back – and that chance just went up because I have just stepped in a puddle. How much you wanna bet its toxic? Double or nothing.

"On a long and lonesome highway east of Omaha, listenin' to the engine moaning out its one note song, you think about the woman, the girl you knew the night before." I start to sing an old song that I had found a recording of that was hidden in my dad's closet. Things like that tape would probably be worth a lot of money to the right people I'm sure.

"But your thoughts will soon be wondering the way they always do when you're driving sixteen hours, there's nothing much to do, and you don't feel much like riding you just wish the trip is through. Here I am, on the road again. There I am, up on the stage. There I go, playing the Star again. There I go turn the page." I start to play the air guitar remembering in my head the way the music sounded on the tape. This song is perfect for me right now considering that I'm out here all alone by myself.

I start to walk a little faster with my head held higher; singing has put me in a better mood than I was in. It still sucks that I'm lost, but it won't take me long to find a town, I mean just how big can the Capital Wasteland really be?

I walk and then I stop because my feet get tired. I couldn't have been walking for more than a few minutes before I stopped. Wow, I'm really out of shape.

 _'Square is a shape,'_ argues my subconscious.

'Be that as is may, we won't last long out here if this continues.' I argue back. Oh great, now I'm talking to myself. I must be going crazy.

' _Ya, I hate to admit it, but you might be.'_

'Hush now, Little Voice. No one must be alerted of your presence or surely we will be in trouble.' I chide it again into silence.

Shit. I really am losing it. Let's just not tell anyone and it'll all be okay. I push myself from the ground and start to walk again. I'm guessing it to be about noon since the sun is almost directly above me. My stomach growls and I rub it in a circular motion. I push the thought of my hunger pains to the side and keep walking. Thinking about food and how hungry I am is gonna do nothing but slow me down.

I need to get to the nearest town as soon as I can, before I lose any more of my mind. I close my eyes and spin in a circle.

One. Two. Three times. I stop, open my eyes and let the world steady itself. "Onward!" I point the direction I'm facing and start walking. I take about six steps then come to a complete stop. In the distance a large metal structure gleams in the sunlight. "Holy shit, what is that?" I ask myself as I start running towards it as fast as I can, jumping rock and dodging trees. I may have just found my salvation and a place to start looking for dad.

 **A/N:Well, what'd you think? This post will be a double update so whoohoo! And sorry if Little Voice seemed a little random, but I think I'm going to keep using it to show how she's dealing with such a dramatic change in her life and also how bad the Capital Wasteland can eff with your mind...feedback is love and ideas as to where to go next are encouraged!**

 **GothicAngel-sama out \m/**


	5. Welcome to Megaton, Partner

**A/N:HEY ALL! Tehe, I warned you this would be a double update! Yay! Okay, so warning: I tried to stick to the basic dialoge as much as possible, but they talk so fast and I can't type that fast so yea they may be out of character, but they don't really have much character depth in the game much anyways so don't be too hard on me for it k? Thank you! And yes, as I come back and reread my posts I catch spelling errors too. Quite frankly it's pissing me off and so if you see one, please bear with me cause I'll be back to fix it.**

 **Also, I'm keeping Little Voice cause I like her, so deal with it. Thank you to the two of you who have reviewed! Reviews are worth cookies (^.^)o . So, read enjoy and feedback is love.**

Chapter 4  
Welcome to Megaton, Partner

I run nonstop towards the looming metal mass. As I get closer, I can see it's a wall. Who would build a wall of metal in the middle of nowhere? I put my hand on the wall and walk along it hoping to find a secret entrance maybe? I walked for about five minutes along the wall till I hear a metal clanking. Cautiously, I crouched and drew my weapon. Holding it at the ready, I sneak around a curve and see a robot standing in front of a gate? I stand up and walk towards the robot, still wary of it. As I get closer, it turns towards me making me jump.

"Welcome to Megaton, enjoy your stay." It says in a mechanical voice. "Please stand clear of the gates." Just then, the huge metal gate opened revealing a high arch and a larger gate made of metal ahead. I stowed my gun and walked over to the heavy gate. I manage to push it open just wide enough for me to slip in it.

I step in and look around. The whole town is made of scavenged pieces of metal. Lights are strung up high on wire running in-between poles. What I assume to be water pipes make a sort of a path to the center of town. As I'm standing there in awe, a dark skinned ma of about thirty with sunken eyes and a think beard walks over to me. He's wearing a worn and faded duster with a cowboy, a rifle of some kind on his back.

"Well I'll be damned; you're from that Vault 101. Ha-ha, I ain't seen one of those jumpsuits in a long time. Lucas Simms, town sheriff and the mayor to if the need arises," he says holding out his hand to me. I slip mine in his and can tell the immediate contrast between us. His skin is rough and weathered. "I don't know why, but I something tells me I like you girl. I have a good feeling about you, so if you ever need anything just holler." He smiles at me and his eyes wrinkle a bit at the sides. He seems nice enough and he obviously trusts me. Go me.

"Nice town you got here, sheriff. It's a pleasure to meet you." I return his smile as the fatigue starts to set in.

"Friendly and well manner? I think we're going to get a lot just fine. Treat my people nice and your welcome to stay as long as you'd like"

"Right-o sheriff. So, um, if you don't mind me asking, have you seen my father? Middle-aged guy. Maybe he's been through here?"

"Nope sorry, I have enough fires to put out in this place that I don't have time to keep tabs on every visitor. I'd ask around town to see if the folks here know anything. I would suggest starting at Moriarty's. Just be careful. Moriatry is not one to trust. He'll rob you blind and put the blame on someone else. It's in the back across from the main gate." He points to the back in the direction of the bar. I nod and we part ways.

I walk down to the center of the town passing a few ramps and a sign that says 'food'. Making a mental note to go back there, I stop at a large puddle seeing a man standing in the water. "Excuse me sir?" I call from the water's edge.

"Who have we here? A new addition to our humble community. Come, bask in the glory of the Atom!" he spreads his arms and tilts his head to the sky. "We are the Children of Atom and we all walk in his glow," putting his arms back down he introduces himself. "Dear child, I am Confessor Cromwell, I am the head of the Church of the Children of Atom. How may a help you on your journey walking in the glow of His glory?" He smiles warmly at me and folds his hands in prayer. I am utterly confused. Who is this 'Atom' he keeps talking about?

"Well, I'm looking for my father. Have you seen him? He's a middle aged guy with dark brown hair. Oh, and a jumpsuit like mine," I describe my father in hope that this looney has seen him. If anything, I can always go to that bar and ask around. Though I'd rather not because I don't know what kind thugs lurk there.

"Many of the transiet seek refuge in one of the seedier establishments. I suggest you speak to Colin Moriarty." He replies with a hint of resentment in his voice.

"Thanks a lot, mister." I call as I pick the closest ramp and head up it. I walk around until I find the building with 'Moriarty's Saloon' in big letter across it. Outside the front doors, a man with slicked back white hair and a goatee is standing there. He's leaning on the railing staring out over the town. I walk over to him and tap his shoulder.

He turns to face me. "Colin Moriarty always pleased to see a new face. I'm the owner of the saloon. What can I do for ya lass?" he speaks with an Irish accent. His eyes are dark and calculating. He watches me as I form an answer, looking for lies or any sign of deception.

"I'm looking for my father. Middle aged guy, brown hair, jumpsuit like mine. Have you seen him around?" I ask hoping that he knows SOMETHING about dad.

"My god, it's you! The little baby girl all grown up. Persistent little flower ain't ya? All then and now it seems." His voice becomes melancholy as he looks me up and down. "Oh yea, your dad came through here alright. Just came and left. I assume you'll do the same correct?" He crosses his arms and looks at me.

I stare back at him in disbelief. "Huh? My father and I were born in Vault 101-"

He cuts me off with a barking laugh. "Is that what he told you? That you were born there? That he was born there?" he stops laughing and pretends to wipe a tear from his eye. "Ahh, the lies we tell the love ones. You weren't born in that hole and neither was your dad. You took you there after you were born. It was you, him, and his Brotherhood of Steel friend. You stayed in my saloon after all. You were but a suckling babe with nary a tit to suckle. I'm really sorry about your mum kid." He looks at me with sad eyes at the mention of my mother.

"My dad told me we were born in Vault 101…" I whisper and hug my arms around my midsection. Who was I to believe? My father who had abandoned me in that God forsaken Vault or this shady salon owner? My whole world has been shaken in the span of 24 hours.

"Ahhh. I see I heard about the brain washing that goes on down there. From some other guys that escaped some," he taps his chin as he thinks. "Five years ago?" he smiles and mock salutes. "'All hail the Overseer. We're born in the vault, we die in the vault,' and all that loony biz. Look kid, you're a smart girl and you better wise up less someone take advantage of you," he trails of and gives me a wolfish grin. I suppress a shutter and push back the urge to breakdown.

"Look, I just want to find my dad. Do you know where I can find him?" My voice is hardened. It's time for me to toughen up because like Colin said, I don't want anyone thinking they can take advantage of me so easily.

"He did come through her but he left, he headed south east to the D.C. Ruins. He said he wanted to get information from the loonies running the only free radio station out here." He run his hand through his hair and sighed. In the dying light, he looked older. "Galaxy News Radio is the name. Some loon named Three Dog is always yapping on about fighting come 'good fight'. I would suggest starting there if you really wanna find your dad lass."

 **A/N:So, that was Lilith's first day in Megaton. She's met Simms, Colin and been given an idea of where her dad is. I don't know when my next update will be considering i have no idea where to go from here. Other than talking to Nora and Gob about GNR and maybe her meeting Mister Burke...so as always, feedback is love.**

 **GothicAngel-sama out \m/**


	6. What's a Ghoul?

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my awwsome reader Wolfboywarrior. He gave me a totally awesome idea and so I wanted to use it in this chapter, but sadly not this one. Rock on anyways man! \m/ Lmao I hop you all enjoy!**

What's A Ghoul?

My mind is spinning with the overload of information. I wasn't really born in the Vault? Why did dad lie to me? Was he even really my father? Wow, maybe that's why he left me alone in the Vault, so he wouldn't have to answer my questions about mom. Moriarty said that dad and a 'Brotherhood of Steel' friend took me to the Vault after I was born, that we had stayed in his saloon too. Who or what is the Brotherhood of Steel? There's nothing in any of dad's book about them.

 _'Galaxy News Radio,'_ the name echoes in my head. _'Sounds fancy, but why the heck does it have to be so far away?'_ whines Little Voice. I don't know who she is or where she came from, but I don't mind her too much. ' _Aww, thanks Big Voice! I like you too,'_ she giggles.

Yep, crazy.

As I was saying though, I would probably need someone to help me get out there if I were to actually try it. The only problem is I don't know anyone here or where in the fuck the D.C. Ruins are. So, it looks like I'm stuck here for a while until I find a new guide.

Or Tex finds me. Fat fucking chance.

I turn around and walk into the saloon. Its dank and musty, the smell of smoke, gunpowder and sweat hangs thick in the air. I walk over to the bar and sit down. A man I hunched over new a radio beating it. Static spills out as he attempts to find a decent station.

"Goddamn radio! No good piece of-"

"Gob! Will you shut the hell up for five minutes please? I'm tired of hearing you yell at that damned radio!" a redheaded woman sitting at the bar cut off the man beating on the radio. She looks to be about 25 and she's smoking a cigarette.

"Sorry, Nova," replies the man as he stands up and turns around. His face is pockmarked and missing chunks of skin. He looks like a zombie basically. The, I don't even know what to call him! The one known as 'Gob' turns around and catches me staring at him. "What are you staring at smooth skin?" he barks at me crossing his arms. "Ain't you ever seen a goddamned Ghoul before?" he questions harshly.

I shake my head no and take a step back. "I didn't mean to offend you, but I've never seen anything like you before. What are you if you don't mind me asking?" I reply tilting my head to the side. How is it that he can survive like that? Isn't it physically impossible?

 _'You'd better rethink what is and what isn't physically impossible,'_ comments Little Voice. _'A week ago you would've thought us leaving the Vault to be physically impossible, but look at us now. Almost died twice in the Wasteland and now were talking to a zombie and a whore in a shady saloon run by a guy who said he knew dad._ The smaller version of me shrugs her tiny shoulders.

'Little Voice! How dare you say that! That lady is not a whore.' I scold her. 'If she could hear you I would make you apologize.'

' _And what if she is? Then what, huh? Tell you what Big Voice; if she is then you have to tell Tex you think he's hot. Deal? Deal.'_

 _"_ …not going to hit me?" a male voice pulls me out of my mind and back to reality. Gob and Nova are staring at me waiting for an answer.

I blush. "Uh, can you repeat the question?" I ask sheepishly and cower under their harsh glares.

"I asked if you were gonna hit me because I'm a Ghoul, a talking zombie basically," he explains with mild disgust but whether it's directed at me or what he is, I'm not sure.

"Uh, no. I'm not. I don't even know you, so therefore why should I hit you for being different? I think your rather interesting because I've never heard of a Ghoul before today." I answer him honestly. A normal zombie however would be total fair game to torture, beat and abuse till it dies. I'm glad I remembered to leave that part out cause I don't know if his relatives are the non-talking zombies.

"Really?" he asks somewhat stunned I guess you could say. I nod my head in response. He smiles at me revealing yellowing, chipped teeth. "You're alright kid. Say, are you new to town? I don't remember seeing you around here before. The only new face was a middle aged guy in a suit like yours. Talked to my boss then left." He started to clean the bar with a dingy rag. I really don't think that the countertop would be much cleaner than it is now.

Vault cleanliness coming back to haunt me. Shoot me.

"Wait, a middle age guy? How long ago was he here? That was my dad! Did he say where he was going?" I take a seat on the stool directly in front of him and stare up at him waiting. Oh boy, another lead. I'm another step closer to finding dad.

"Woah, kid calm down. He was here yesterday about noon. He said something about going to the GNR station in D.C." the Ghoul backed away from the counter and picked up a glass and started to clean it with the same dirty rag. I really hope he doesn't serve me a drink from that cup… "It's about a week's journey from here and only people who have a fucking death wish go there."

"A death wish? Why do you say that?" the redhead in the corner stool, Nova, scoffs and looks at me.

"Are you really that goddamn ignorant kid? It's a fucking death trap. Most of the buildings got leveled when the bombs fell and those that didn't are about to collapse at any time and are crawling with Raiders and Super fucking Mutants. The only way you'll survive is if you take in a small army with lots of big guns." She looks me up and down and laughs again. "Judging from the look of it, you're a little run away from the Vault. I'm surprised you even made it this far without dying. You won't last long out here, little girl. Go home to the Vault and stay safe. You'll just end up being someone's dinner, a Raider's or maybe even dear old Gob here would like to have a _taste_ of you?" she sneers at me. I can't help but blush at what she's implying. She gets off her stool and passing behind me to the staircase. She pauses at the bottom and looks back to us. "She's a cherry, so don't even bother." She advices before walking up the stairs.

 _'See, told you!'_ Little Voice does a little dance. _'She knew you were a cherry a mile away,'_ she smiles triumphantly. I mentally flip her off.

Gob sighs and rubs the back of his neck. "I'm sorry 'bout the kid, she's an attention whore. She gets pissed off at anyone who's not looking at her." He snorts, "What does she know about me anyways. Just because I'm a Ghoul means I eat people. Maybe I should show that redhead the difference between me and a feral," he mumbles to himself. He grumbles a little more before he looks up again and sees me watching him. He coughs to clear his throat.

"So what were you saying about GNR and my dad?" I ask hopeful that he'll still answer my questions even though Nova was so rude.

"Yea, he came through here about noon, talked to Collin and then left. Said he wanted to go see Three Dog. Didn't say much more than that and it really is a death wish of trying to go there alone." He didn't tell me anything new that he hadn't already told me before when Nova was here butting in. I sigh and thank him for his help.

Shit, so I am basically screwed right now. I cradle my head in my hands and sigh deeply. "How am I going to make it out there? I have no money, no supplies, and no fucking food! Son of a bitch. Maybe I should just go back to the Vault. I really am going to die out here, I should just sell myself." I mumble under my breath as I knead my temples trying to will away the monster headache that was starting to blur my vision.

"You know if you wanna make some money without selling your body you should go see Moira Brown down at Craterside Supply tomorrow morning. I hear she's been looking for someone to help her with her 'Wasteland Survive Guide' or some crap like that. Maybe it's something that you can do." Gob offers in a low voice like he doesn't want anyone to hear. I nod my head in thanks and make a mental note to pay here a visit. He smiles, or tries to at least showing his yellowing teeth and sets a glass bottle in front of me on the counter before walking away.

I grab the cold bottle and roll it in my hand to read the label. Nuka-Cola. I shrug and take off the lid. It fizzes in my hand and I tip the bottle back and take a drink. The carbonated deliciousness slides down my throat and tickles as it slides down. I swallow and sigh as it hits my empty stomach. The sugary syrup is perfection like I have never tasted.

' _So what are you gonna do about our current problem?'_ asks Little Voice. ' _Are you gonna go see that chick the zombie told you about?'_

'We don't have much of a choice do we? We're desperate right now. This maybe the only way that we'll be about to last a little longer out here.' I reply to Little Voice. I sigh again and take a deep breath to calm myself so I don't end up screaming bloody murder and pulling the trigger on myself.

 _'I don't really like the idea of taking the zombies word to go talk to some quack.'_ She criticizes our situation. I shake my head and decide to ignore her for a while.

I lay my head on my folded arms on the counter and drift to sleep.

 **A/N: Yea wasn't as awesome as i planned, but it is up by Friday! Lol feedback is love peeps.**


	7. The Wasteland Survival Guide

**A/N: Hello again my awesome peeps! I know that I haven't posted a new chapter in awhile, but I have been the unwilling victim to the imfamous writers block. With the help of my excellent and faithful reader,wolfboywarrior, I have been able to conquer it and crank out the long awaited chapter 6! Yay! Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long as this one did since I am on a roll! Also, before I go, I have read an amazing story but one miss Living Pretty called 'Where the Wild Things Play' and I loved it, so I thought it would be nice to suggest it to you guys! So, enough of me and here is chapter 6!**

Chapter 6

The Wasteland Survival Guide

The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs and the lull of muted voices pull me from my slumber. A man and a woman are talking just a few steps from where I rest. I could listen in, but honestly, sleep is bae right now. I love you sleep. I stay as I am for a while longer until I have the wobbling barstool kicked out from under my sleeping form. My arms flail out to the side in attempt to catch myself to no avail as my forehead hits the counter with a smack and my ass hits the floor with a painful thud.

"Wake up you lazy bitch!" calls Nova who's standing above me. Pain radiates in throughout my entire body, head and ass getting the worst of it. Gob's face swims into view as he offers his hand to help me up. I clasp his hand and force myself not to shutter at the thought of touching a zombie. "Still not gonna get any Gob," mutters Nova as she leans against the wall watching the front door.

 _'_ _Fucking cunt. She's so lucky that I'm in your head, or else I would fuck her up so bad.'_ Mutters Little Voice as I regain my footing. I nod my thanks to him and he turns his back on me without a reply. I shrug at his lack of response and turn on my heel and take a step only to run into the chest of a man about a foot taller than me. He's wearing a stripped sweater under a leather vest with a beanie/bandana and an eye patch.

"Hi there, sweetheart. Ain't seen a new face in town in a while. I'm Billy, Billy creel, but you can call me Billy. Everyone does. How long you in town for?" he moves around me to sit at the bar.

I sigh at having to tell my life story again. "For a while. I'm just trying to find my dad but right not I'm going to talk to Moira at Craterside, so I don't mean to sound rude but I really need to get going," I shrug apologetically and start backing away. He nods and waves me on before turning to Gob to order.

Finally, I make it out the door of the saloon and up, down and over several ramps till I'm standing in front of a large building- made of what else? Metal! That's right give the wiener a prize- with the words 'Craterside Supply' written sloppily in white paint. I brace myself and push open the door and walk in to see a cloud of black smoke and coughing from somewhere in the back.

"Hello? Are you alright in there?" I call taking a few steps into the shop. A tall man dressed in black fitted leather with a few mean looking guns is standing in the back by a staircase. I give him a small wave and he nods in response. Another fit of coughing comes from the middle of the black cloud. As the smoke clears a woman with auburn hair and freckle emerges, face black with grime and soot.

"Oh! Hi there! I'm Moira Brown, but you can call me Moira. You must be the girl from the Vault! I've heard so much about you. Wow, its such luck that you would end up in my shop do you know how long it's been since I've seen some one in a Vault suit? Well I suppose it would be about a day or so since there was a man in here yesterday with a suit like yours, but other than that well I'd say it's been about 5 years. Did you know that someone else left the Vault before you and that man did? I wonder how he did it. Was there guards blocking the entrances and not letting you out? Was it scaring, being it the Wasteland for the first time in forever? Oh my, you simply must tell me everything you know about Vault life! It'll go so well in my book1 oh yea; I'm writing a book called "The Wasteland Survival Guide"! It'll help people everywhere know how to survive in the wasteland and having the foreword by a real life Vault dweller would be so swell, so what do you say? Will you help me with me book?" My head started spinning so quickly when she started talking to me so fast. Her words ran together so much that I don't think she even took a breath through that entire thing. She's staring at me with wide eyes, waiting for an answer.

I take a deep breathe. ' _Oh joy, she really is a nutcase,'_ comments Little Voice. I silently agree and address Moria.

"Okay," I say slowly. "All I understood of that was your name, Ms. Moria. You said something about a man coming in here sometime yesterday, can we start there? He's my dad can you tell me where he went?"

"Oh," she blushes and pushes her hair from her face. "I'm sorry dear, I just tend to get a little excited when I talk about my book." She takes a rag from her pocket and wipes her face. "That man was your dad then huh? Wow, never would've guessed, but no, he didn't mention to me where he was going. He just stopped by for some supplies and then set off." She tucks the rag back into her pocket and walks around the back of the counter to make notes in a notebook sitting open with several crude diagrams.

"Okay thank you." I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice. "Will you explain again about you book, but slower this time. If you're paying caps then I may help you because honestly I have nothing to my name but this torn up suit and a 10 mm that I almost shot my own toe off with." I hang my head in shame and she looks at me with a sad expression. As I'm counting dust motes on the counter, a square chunk of blue fabric comes into view. I look up at Moira and she's smiling. I notice that the armored Vault suit that was hanging up on the wall behind her was no longer there.

"Here hun, I think you can use this. Especially, if you going to be helping me with my book," she smiles wider as I take the suit from her grasp. "You can change back there in the store room and when you get back, I'll tell you all about my book okay?" she smiles happily at me and busies herself by scribbling more in her open book.

I take the armored suit and walk back to the room that she had pointed out. I close the door behind me and strip from my dingy suit. I pull on the new suit. It's a bit snugger than the other one was, but I think it's just because of the armor and more durable material. It's hot in the shop and so I decide just to tie the sleeves around my waist revealing my off-white undershirt. I retie my hair in a bun that's a little neater than it was before and walk out to talk to Moira again, old suit hung over my arm haphazardly.

"There! It's about time that old suit found a new owner. It looks good on you," she nods contently and makes me blush. "Okay so back to the book. The goal is to create a book to help people survive in the Wasteland. So the first chapter is about radiation, mines and collecting food. Which would you like to do first?"

"Um, I think I'll start with gathering food and medical supplies. That sounds the least likely to get me killed," I say with a shrug a Moira makes a face. "What? What's wrong?"

' _I don't like the way she's looking at us right now,'_ comments Little Voice and I have to agree. This may not be a good idea anymore…

"Oh, well, yes it may be less dangerous than land mines, but you do have to walk 5 miles northeast to a place called Super-duper Mart and it is probably filled with Raiders. I hope you have enough ammo hun." She smiles again and rubs the back of her neck. "If you ever need to trade you know where to come, yea?"

Shit. Are you fucking kidding me right now? I'm going to die. I'm going to fucking die before I can even make it out of Megaton! Have I really been that bad of a person? Is this because I refused to go to the dance with Freddy Gomez? I wouldn't have even been in the Vault to have gone with him though, that's the shitty part.

"Yea, I need to trade some stuff because I don't think that 2 clips is gonna last me against a grip of Raiders,"

' _And Slavers, Centaurs, Super Mutants, Mole Rats, wild dogs-'_

'Dammit little voice! You are not helping right now!'

' _Sorry Big Voice, but that wasn't exactly my intention. I'm trying to keep you from getting us killed!'_

'Well maybe we dying would actually be a good thing so I wouldn't have to listen to you in my fucking head all day!' I snap back irritably as she sinks into the corner of my subconscious that I can't reach her in. I sigh and start to hate myself for yelling at the voice in my head. Wait. Let me get this right, I'm feeling guilty for yelling at the voice in my head for pissing me off? How in any way is that even remotely normal? It's not. I'm going fucking nuts. Brilliant.

"-and I don't have my fucking pack with me. I left it." I sigh and slam my fist on the table making Moira jump and the man standing in the back corner come out into the main room, gun at the ready.

' _Ha what's he gonna do shoot us?'_ sneers Little Voice. ' _Oh, that's rich. Do it bitch. Let's see what you got.'_

'Little Voice I swear to God, you have five seconds to shut the fuck up or I will slit your fucking throat…'

She said nothing and shrunk back into her corner. In front of me Moira bit her bottom lip and looked at me sadly. "If you wanna make some fast caps, I'd suggest you do the radiation section first. That way, I can give you some caps and a few Stimpack and some Med-X. All you have to do is get 200 rads, if you can get 600 though that would be better for my data, but that's up to you."

I sigh and rub my face. "Fine," I say, voice muffled through my hands. "How exactly do you expect me to do that?"

She pulls a mug from behind the counter and places it in front of me. "A few of these should be good enough," her voice is surprisingly cheerful despite the fact that she's asking me to _purposely_ irradiate myself is just flat out ridiculous, but unless I wanna end up like Nova…I grab the mug from her and he smile widens. "Just be sure to get back here before you black out and remember 200 is good but 600 would be better. Your Pip-Boy will be able to keep track for you."

I square my shoulders and walk out of Craterside. The guard is probably wondering what exactly is wrong with me. Hell, I'd like to know that myself. I sigh and trudge my way down the metal ramps back down to the center of town to the atom bomb sitting in a pool of water. I stand in the water on the other side of the bomb as Confessor Cromwell was giving his daily sermon on the power of the Atom. Crazy old man, but then again it does take one to know one yea?

I dip the cup into the water and pull it out again. I bring it up to my face and smell it. It doesn't have a funky smell, but it is green like moss and thick. I really don't wanna drink this, but I really don't have any other choice. I lift the cup to my lips and drink. I instantly have to fight back the urge to gag and spit it up. I swallow it and gulp in huge breath, focusing on breathing so I don't puke. Again, I bend and dip the cup into the water and bring it to my lips. I do this five or six times till my Pip-Boy dings and alerts me that I have contracted minor rad poisoning and have 368 rads. That better be good enough for her because I can feel my knees go weak under me, my vision starts to blur.

"Oh crap, I don't think I can make it all the way up there…" I mutter to myself looking up to where Craterside compared to where I am. "Nope not gonna make it…" I'm by the food stall and I note lightly that I never stopped there for some food. I'm so hungry right now… I wonder if Moira would object to me stopping for some food before I went back up to talk to her… I stumble on up the ramp to Moira, hanging on the rail for dear life, praying to God that I wouldn't fall and crack my bloody skull. Ha, a million ways to die in the Wasteland and I die from falling down some ramps. I can't help the slurred laughter that falls from my lips at the thought.

"Moira!" I call as I reach the top of the ramp three steps from the door of her shop. "Moira, come help me! Please, I don't think I can make it much…farther…" just as I trail I think I see the door open and two figures rush out to help me. They talking to me I think, but I can't hear what they're saying because a heavy fog is settling around me. I drift into darkness with the sensation of moving, but I don't remember standing. I thought I was sitting in the bar talking to Gob? Or wasn't I supposed to go find Moira? Did I? I think I did, cause I was going to find some food at some old grocery store right?

'Little Voice, please help me,' I call into my subconscious. 'I'm sorry I yelled at you, I'm scared. Are we gonna die?' I plead into the darkness of my mind and receive no answer but silence. 'Little Voice? Please come back…'

 **A/N: What did you guys think? Good? Bad? As always feedback is love so do what you need to and till next time stay awesome and be on the look out for my latest chapter!**

 **~GothicAngel-sama out \m/**


	8. First, Last and Only Time

**A/N: Hey meows, I'm back with chapter 7! hopefully i can keep this up posting once a week but ehh idk ya know? So read and member feedback is love. I take suggestions and requests as well so let me know if you have any!**

DISCLAIMER: I OWN ONLY THE OC'S IN THIS FIC.

Chapter 7  
First, Last and Only Time

I wake up staring at a metal ceiling. My body aches and my throat burns like I've fucking swallowed fire. As I try to sit up, I start cough violently, blood and saliva flying from my mouth. Footsteps echo in around me and my head starts pounding with the beat. Moira jogs in with a glass of water and a medical supply box. The make-shift cot dips under her weight as she sits next to me and offers me the glass of water.

"Here, here drink this. You barely made it back to my shop yesterday," I choke on the water I had been guzzling and Moira's eyes go wide as she grabs away the cup before I spill it. "Woah, take it easy. You've been out cold since yesterday morning," she speaks calmly to me, as you would a spooked animal to calm it- assuming that it wasn't irritated and trying to eat you. "You passed out just outside my door. I had Nathan help me bring you in here so I could patch you up. You got a little more than 350 rads and I gave you the antidote so you'll be dizzy and nauseas for a couple of hours." She stood from the cot and gave me back the glass.

"Thank you, Moira. I don't know how I can ever repay you," I drink the rest of my glass and hold it out to Moira to take back.

"Well, you can repay me by setting out to SuperDuper Mart as soon as you feel well again. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of keying in the coordinates and I also repaired your gun, put a few more ammo clips and a few Stimpacks aside for you to take with you." She smiles cheerfully and I feel a dark shadow befall me.

"Yes, of course, I'll set out right away." My voice is dripping with sarcasm as I push myself up off the cot and fix my suit, ignoring the protest of my numb limbs. I re-strap my holster to my hip and slip my gun and the clips into it. I grab the Stimpacks and slip them in another pocket. I power up my Pip-Boy 3000 and check the location, 5.73 miles northeast of my current location. "You said you wanted food and medical supplies? On it, but the food may be a little low because apparently I haven't eaten in the past 36 hours, so if you'll excuse me, I have places to go and Raiders to kill."

I walk out of the store room and out the front door of Craterside. I take the ramps down to the center of town and walk up the slight incline to the front gate. 'Now seems like a good time as any to die doesn't it?' I call into the void of my mind as I clear the front gates and start walking in the direction of my destination.

I receive no reply from Little Voice. My head is strangely empty without her here. I can't help the feeling of despair that settles me over me. She was the one person, er being, that actually understood me. Granted she did live in my head so she literally did know everything about me, so I would like to think that she knew that I don't really want her gone…

'Little Voice, I don't know if you can still hear me, but I'm sorry. I don't want you gone, I never wanted to hurt you, you live in my head and I'm driving myself insane with the silence in here! I swear to God there's an echo without you.'

I get no response from her, but honestly I didn't expect her to. I don't know what I did to her, or when she'll be back, but I take this opportunity to think alone for once without comment.

So I hear a voice in my head, and I've named her Little Voice and I've threatened to umm, yea know, slit her throat. Does that mean I'm crazy? I honestly wanna know. I didn't hear her when I was still in the Vault, but then again I did have Amata to talk to because she was my best friend. After what happened, I don't think she's gonna be much of a friend of mine anymore. At least she doesn't know that I had half a mind to fight my way up to the Overseer's office and put a bullet in his head.

My footsteps and labored breath are the only things that break the silence of the Wastes. At times like this, I wish little voice was still here. Then I would actually have someone to talk to. Then again, if I weren't such a bitch, I wouldn't have said anything to hurt her and she's still be here, arguing with me making me wish that I didn't have her. Sigh, I can't win for losing can I? Wow, I wonder how pissed she would be to find out that I'm entertaining the idea of actually killing myself. If I did, no one would be any the wiser. They might think a Raider got to me. My body would probably be scavenged by something, and I'd be free.

I stop where I am and drop to the floor, I can't see anything around me, and all I can see is what would happen after is died. Nothing that's what! Nothing would affect me; nothing would matter because I would be dead. Just like mom…I could finally be with mom. I remember that I had hidden under my bed back at the Vault that I had stolen from dad when I was 9. She was such a beautiful woman, I wish I would've gotten to know her and then I wouldn't be stuck out here half fucking dead and looking for dad.

"Well I'll be damned. What do we have here? Is that you Pretty Bitch?" the voice breaks me from my trance and I look up to see a figure towering above me. It's obviously male from, judging by the voice, but where have I heard that name?

"Awe, you wound me," he calls from above. "My only regret was that Tex didn't let me have any fun with you, but now it seems like Tex ain't nowhere near," he taunts as he looks side to side. "How 'bout you and I have some fun?" the man takes a step back and crouches in front of me, face surrounded by a halo of soft sunlight making him look like an angel. I take in a sharp breath. He's no angel. He's the fucking Lucifer himself. I'm sitting face to face with none other than Johnny –his knife clutched tightly in his hand covered in blood and looking menacing as ever.

"How in the hell did you find me?" I jump and skitter away from him. My heartbeat is racing, my mind instantly flies into fight or flight mode. He's bigger than me, stronger, faster. He knows the area way better than I do. He has a knife and is probably a decent throw with it. The only hope I have to survive is to get him on my side then kill him in his sleep or empty a clip in him at point blank. Shit, now I really wish I had Little Voice. She may have a better fucking idea than me.

"Pure dumb luck," he answers with a smile shifting to kneel in front of me. "I didn't wanna stay with you and Tex the other night because I knew that it would just slow me down. He was babying you too much, holding your hand to help you survive the big, bad Wasteland. Out here, only the strong survive. Why do you think so many people stay in these shitty little settlements in the middle of nowhere? Because they're weak, they'd get chewed up and shit out before they knew what was happening." Johnny starts to absently wipe his knife blade off on his pant leg. His clothes are grungy and I'm sure he hasn't showered in quite a while. His clothes are splattered in blood and he has a cut above his right eye, a trail of blood slipping down the side of his face and into his collar.

"So, what are you gonna do now?" I ask slipping my hand down my thigh to my pistol, hoping he doesn't catch the movement. If I can keep him talking for just long enough I may have a chance. "Gonna try to find Tex then whole up in some town with a whore and drink yourselves stupid?" my index finger slides into the trigger loop.

"No, I have a better plan," he stands up and shrugs his pack off his back. The pushes things aside looking for something. He mutters a curse, then a wicked smile dances on his lips as he pulls out a baton and some rope. He drops the pack on the ground without closing it again and holsters his knife. "Since Tex ain't here, there ain't no one out here to keep me from having some fun with you." He lunges for me faster than I can register. He brings up the baton to strike me and I jerk my gun up and pull the trigger, bullet clipping him in the shoulder making him grunt as blood drips down his sleeve. He stops and looks at the graze then back at me, his expression is deathly calm and his gaze is steady.

My blood rushes from my face and I go pale. 'Shit, shit shit shit,'

"SHIT!" I yell as I scramble off the ground and run away from Johnny. My legs pump faster and faster to get away from the psychopath chasing me. His laughter carries on the wind as I run from him and back in the direction I came. I hope anyways. A second set of heavier footsteps start up behind me, covering ground faster than me. I push my legs to carry me faster, my adrenaline is starting to run out, but I know I can't stop now. I have to keep going I just have-

Pain blossoms in the base of my skull as my vision dances white making me lose my footing. I utter a silent scream as the hard ground rushes up to meet my body, small twigs and rocks imbedding themselves in my flesh. I open my eyes and the world is turned on its side and me on my stomach.

A pair of feet steps into view and a voice drifts down to me. "Nice try running, but now tell me something: would you have fucked Tex?" Johnny is breathing normally as he flips me over to my back, momentarily blinded until he steps to block the sun from my eyes. "Would you have let him pop your cherry? Well, why not me?" he kneels beside me as he ties my ankles together with a portion of the rope. He pulls his knife and cut it. "I would love to have such a pretty bitch like you, and now, I can. You can scream but no one will hear you." He holds my wrists in the air above me as he ties them off then lets them drop onto my lap.

"Please, please let me go," I beg. Tears well in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall, I refuse to give this sick fuck the satisfaction.

He moans and licks his lips. "I like that, keep begging. Maybe I'll let you go when I'm done with you," he laughs as he hauls me to my feet and ties another length of rope to my wrists to lead me. He strokes my cheek with his hand and I bite him hard enough to draw blood. He hisses, draws his hand back and slaps me across the face hard. "Keep that shit up and I'll put a bullet through your fucking head right now," he growls.

I spit the blood and saliva from my mouth to the ground near his boots. "Good, do it. I don't wanna have to look at your ugly fucking mug anyways," I snarl.

He grins wickedly at me. "Maybe I'll go sell you to Grouse. I hear Eulogy is always looking for a new lap bitch," the names mean nothing to me but I'll be damned if I'll let him sell me to anyone. I wouldn't even sell myself for caps when I desperately needed it.

"Come on," Johnny pulls hard on the rope and I have no choice but to follow or be drug. I resist as much as I can for the first few hours, but after falling on my face a few times and getting slapped for it, I was in no mood to fight. I let him lead me farther away from Megaton and closer to my doom. Neither of us spoke, I have nothing to say to him anyways.

The sun in the sky climbs higher and higher and soon, we stop at a small lean to shack. It has a mattress stained brown, black and red. I will myself to not think about what those are from. A few metal boxes sit at the head of the bed along with a footlocker with a heavy padlock and a few bottles of whiskey. Johnny shrugs off his pack and pulls me over to the bed. He pulls the rope down, forcing me to my knees. He stands in front of me and looks down.

"This is your first, last and only warning: you bite me and I'll break your fucking jaw," he undoes his belt and zipper. He slides his pants down and I force myself to look away from him. He grabs my hair with one hand and holds his member with the other. "Open," he commands. I stubbornly clamp my jaw shut and jerk my head from his grasp. He backhands me and grabs my hair again, jerking my head up to look at him. "Open," he repeats more forcefully as he tightens his grip on my hair. I bare my teeth and growl low in my throat like an animal.

He frowns at me and punches me across the jaw and let's go of my hair so the momentum carries me to the floor. I touch my jaw gingerly and whimper when the pain almost makes me faint. I'm breathing hard as he towers above me pointing to the bed. I flip him off and stare daggers at him from my seat on the ground.

"Fine, you want it rough? Let's play rough then, bitch." He grabs me by my hair and throws me down onto the mattress. He lies on top of me so I can do no more than struggle. He pulls my hand by the rope and ties them above my head to a handle of the footlocker. He shifts back to sit on my legs as he pulls his knife out and cuts my jumpsuit from my body and pulls it off.

"No! No, oh my god someone help me! Please help!" I scream hysterically, thrashing fighting to get lose and digging the rope into my wrists more. "No, please, please don't! I'll do anything please!" hot tears blur my vision as he cuts my underwear from my body. I struggle trying to get away, kick him in the face, anything to make him stop!

"Woah, looks like we've got a live one here," he teases as he runs his hand down my chest. I whimper and shy away from his touch.

'Please let this be over soon,' I think to myself as he pushes himself into me. An indescribable pain engulfs my entire body as I scream at the top of my lungs, begging for him to stop, begging for someone to help me. Someone, anyone, help me. He laughs at my tears and my cries of pain. He doesn't stop. He goes faster and harder. I feel blood running down from between my legs, pooling under me and becoming a part of the stained mattress under me.

I scream and cry until I can't anymore. My throat is hoarse and my eyes void of tears. When he finally stops, he cuts the ropes binding me and walks away, leaving me there bloody, violated and alone. I drift in and out of consciousness, hoping it was all just a dream and when I wake up, I'll be in Vault 101.

 **A.N: So, chapter 7...what did you guys think?**


	9. Little Voice's Return

**A/N: Hey allz, Angel-sama back again with a new update and I'm going to be trying something new and I really hope you guys don't hate me for it...I'm gonna be writing sections in Little Voice's POV. So what I mean by this is that Little Voice is taking control of Lilith's body so on the outside she's the same but mentally, it's Little Voice. I'll only be doing it for this chapter until I get a negative or positive response from you awesome peeps. So please, any who read this, give you opinion on the body swap thing. Also, I want to recommend Wolfboywarrior's fic 'Wasteland Ghost'. It has become another on of my personal addictions! So enjoy and feedback please!  
**

Little Voice's Return

 _'Wake up,'_ a voice breaks through the fog in my mind, _'Awe come on Big Voice, you can't tell me your giving up now.'_

'Ha, if you're mad at me now you should've heard me thinking about killing myself…' I think back. Even the voices in my head think I'm useless.

' _No, you're only useless when you're like this, so I hope you don't mind, but Little Voice is taking over.'_ With that, I felt my body slowly shift and move though I know that it wasn't me moving it. My body, our body, was standing eyes open a dull throb of pain _everywhere_. My consciousness was pushed back until I was nothing more than a voice in my own head except for I wasn't me anymore. Is that even possible?

 **( _LITTLE VOICE POV_ )**

Damn, I can't believe Lilith actually let the psychopath do this bad a number on our body. I groan with pain as I bend, twist and stretch –her? Our? - My body out. I try to fix the tatters of my Vault suit to no avail. Goddammit, I hope there's a spare set of clothes in one of these damn boxes. I take off the last remains of that bloody rope that tied me and through it to the side. I scoot off the bed careful not to get any more blood on me then there already is.

Sick fuck. I think to myself as I knee in front of the footlocker and pull a bobby pin from my pocket. Thank God Jonas taught her how to pick a lock before that mental prick killed him. I slid the bobby pin into the lock and unlock it to find a spare set of clothes and a clip for a .32. I move those out to the side of the box and squeal with delight at the assault rifle I find lying at the bottom with 2 clips of .556 ammo and a brand new combat knife.

"Fuck. Yes. That psycho-prick did at least one thing right," I say to no one in particular. I think I just may have to pay Johnny a little visit. Show him just how much fun I can be when I really wanna play. A blood thirst smile crosses my lips as I strip from my soiled clothes and clean the blood off that I can. I quickly redress in the settler clothes and feel a little more human.

Funny considering I never really was.

I grab the extra supplies I can find and stuff them in my loaned pack. Grabbing the bottles of whiskey, I un stopper one and take a drink before dousing the mattress in the remaining liquid and lighting it on fire.

"I'm going to make you pay you miserable son of a bitch. Fuck with Lilith, and you die," the flames dance in my eyes as I stand there and watch it burn before turning on my heel and walking away from it. From dust you came, and to dust you shall return. I'll make fucking sure of that.

I turn from the burning mattress and check the Pip-Boy to see how far I am from that stupid grocery store. Once again, I fail to see how Lilith could get us into this mess.

'Lilith are you awake in there?' I call into our shared mind and receive no response. Huh, I guess this is how she must've felt when I was gone. A wave of guilt washes over me. I kinda start to regret not being there for her while she was going through that…but I'm going to make it up to her by finishing this mission and killing Johnny.

' _Do you think Tex would be mad at us for killing his partner?'_ Lilith's voice drifts through my mind like a whisper and I almost scream from having someone in my head. I hear Lilith chuckle lightly in the recesses of my mind, still weak.

'Honestly, I couldn't fucking careless. He raped us so as far as I am concerned, Johnny is gonna fucking die, mkay? Mkay.' I close out of the map on my Pip-Boy and start walking the last half mile to SuperDuper Mart to finish this crap for that damn loon.

Every step I take sends a new shiver of pain through my body and the only thing keeping me from turning back right now is the slim hope that I can find Johnny out here and pay him back. That and how many Raiders I get to kill before going back to Megaton.

"I just love the morning," I smile to myself as I scope out the landscape to see a black mass charging me. "What in the hell is that?" I whisper as I crouch behind a bush and take my aim at it. From here, it looks like a giant rat. It's fucking ugly. As it gets closer it stands up on its hind legs and sniffs the air. I fire three shots in rapid succession into its head and it crumbles to its, blood and brain matter running from the bullet wounds.

"Ooh, pretty blood," I stand up from my crouch and re-holster my gun. Walking towards it, I can see how big it really is. "You're really fugly you know that?" I ask the corpse as I kneel by it and start to cut off chunks of meat from it. The blood pooling around its head catches my attention again. I reach out my hand, already stained, and dip two fingers in it. It's still warm to the touch and I can smell the metallic tinge it has from here. I pull my hand away from the puddle and wipe two lines on my right cheek. I repeat dipping two fingers in the blood and wipe it on my left cheek making war paint.

I stare at my hand, red streaming down my arm, drying and turning to a rust color. I turn my head to the side and stick out my tongue, licking the blood from my arm. The taste of metal dances on my tastes buds as I hum contently. 'That ain't half bad…' I think to myself as I finish cutting off a few more chunks of rat meat.

And now we have some food, awesome. Maybe I should just go back to Moira now and give her this and tell her that I didn't find anything in that stupid grocery store…yep. That's the new plan. Fuck going all the way out there; this is all she gets because I have more important shit to do.

' _But Little Voice, I gave Moira my word that I would help her,'_ protests Lilith.

'Yea, see that's the thing. You did. I, on the other hand, did no such thing and since I'm in control of out body, I get to call the shots so shut the fuck up and deal with it.' My feet start to carry us back in the direction of Megaton.

' _How can you do that to her?'_

'Why are you getting all defensive now? Weren't one who was pissed at her for almost fucking killing us? Admit it, you can't make it out here without me and after what he did to you, you're broken. You can't survive out here anymore, Lil. You'll end up getting us killed.'

She was quiet and didn't say anything because she knew it was true. I am her and she is me, but I'm a different part of her. I exist for another reason. A reason that no one but us and Amata know about. About what happened when we were twelve down on the reactor level?

(Lilith's POV)

I don't know how it's possible, but my other personality has taken over. She is the reason I've made it this far. I've had her for seven years, and no one ever knew. Yes, I am crazy and I hear voices in my head, but I could never admit it to anyone. But what do you do when you've become the voice in your head? When you're no longer yourself, but a bystander, a stranger in your own body?

I've read a few of Dad's old psychology books and split personality disorders. I never believed it could really happen though, at the time, it all seemed like science fiction, just another story to tell young children to entertain, but when you live with it and she takes you over what are you supposed to do? Maybe in the old world there may have been a cure, but here and now it's fight back or lose yourself.

The only reason she's here is because of those worthless Tunnel Snakes…

 **A/N:So, yea. Not my best work, but feedback is desprately needed. i was so harsh on myself with this chappie.**


	10. Little Voice's Origin

**A/N: Hey allz! Back again with the next chapter of my Fallout 3 fan fic! It's been longer than I Would've liked it to be to get the next chapter up, but I blame my girlfriend for that. Lmao so this is the next chappie and I hope ya'll enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FALLOUT 3 OR ANY PART OF THE FRANCHISE.**

Chapter 9  
Little Voice's Origins

 **(Memory Sequence)**

 **Darkness. It's all around us. Amata and I were only twelve, but we had heard those stories of the reactor level being haunted. Back then, it seemed oh so real, but we had to have known, in some logical part of my brain, that there was no such thing as ghosts. Butch Deloria and Wally Mack had talked us into going down there one night to explore.**

 **"** **What are you, a girl?" Butch teased, hair already slicked back in his signature look.**

 **"** **Yea Butch, in fact we are. Or did you forget that?" Amata snaps back from my left as we stand in front of the door that closed off the reactor level from the stairs that lead up to the housing areas.**

 **"** **Shut the hell up you stupid little bitch. You can't even stand up for yourself without your pet dyke here to fight for you," Butch sneered at us and stepped up with his fists clenched at his side. Wally stepped in between us and put his hand on Butch's chest before he could get any closer to us.**

 **"** **Hey come on guys, stop fighting or else one of the guards are gonna hear us and come down here," his voice was shaky with fear. Butch pushed his hand away and glared at him. Amata and I let out the collective breath we had been holding and stepped back too. That is the last thing that we needed is getting caught down here. Dad would be so mad and the Overseer would prolly birth a pack of Brahmin if he caught us down here after curfew.**

 **"** **Okay, so Lilith, you go first cause you know this place best. You've been down here a lot with that egghead so you know where the door is."**

 **I glare at him in the soft light and resist the urge to punch him in the face. "He had a name, Butch. Try using it." I reply as I drop to one knee in front of the door with a bobby pin and borrowed screwdriver to pick the door.**

 **"** **And Wally used to name his boogers but that doesn't mean jackshit to me so hurry it up," comes his snark reply as he moves to check if anyone is at the top of the stairs. Amata mutters something about guys being pigs. Wally, blushing at having his secret revealed, mumbles something that sounds similar to, 'that was once when I was five and you promised not to tell anyone.'**

 **I bite my lip in concentration praying to God that I don't break the lock. "Can't you hurry the hell up? If you take any longer it'll be morning," as patient as ever is out resident royal pain in my ass. "I mean, couldn't you have just 'borrowed' the egghead's key?" He says the word borrowed in quotes meaning steal it from Jonas.**

 **I pause trying to pick the lock and turn to glare at him from my spot on the ground. "No Butch, I couldn't just 'borrow'** ** _Jonas_** **' key. So if you think you can do any better, why aren't you the one down here trying to open the door?" I say the name with venom because Butch keeps calling him an egghead, prolly just jealous that he'll never be that smart. After sticking my tongue out at them, I turn back to the lock, giving it my undivided attention. After a minute, the lock snaps and I smile triumphantly as I push it open.**

 **"** **I knew you could do it!" Amata hugs me tightly before walking into the open door.**

 **"'** **bout damn time," Butch mumbles as he pushes past me with Wally in tow. I flip off his back and follow them in closing the door behind us. I flip on the light switch and the lights flicker on blinding us. I blink until I can see again and watch as the others mill around.**

 **I stand near the door and watch them because I've been done here a lot with Dad and Jonas so it's nothing amazing to me. Sometimes I wish that I could have the same sense of awe about these things that they do, I mean it's cool and all, but Dad's books are so much better. So is killing radroaches with my BB gun.**

 **"** **Okay, I think we've been down here long enough to put to rest all the rumors about this place being haunted," Amata says as she comes back over to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow at school Lilith. Be careful going back to your room."**

 **I hug her and open the door ushering her out. "I think you have more to worry about then I do my dear, I mean my dad is just the doctor. Yours is the Overseer."**

 **"** **Yea, I know don't remind me," Amata rolls her eyes and closes it behind her as she goes. I walk in to see where the guys got to so I can get them out before we get caught.**

 **"** **Butch? Wally? Come on you guys, time to go before we go get-" the words catch in my throat as I'm hit in the back of the head and fall to the floor. I roll to the side to see Butch and Wally towering above me, lead pipes in hand. I let out a whimper and flip quickly to my stomach trying to get away from them. Butch lands a well place kick to my ribs knocking the air from my lungs. I curl into a ball to protect my stomach as they kick me more.**

 **"** **You're not so tough now, huh Lilith?" Butch sneers as he motions for Wally to stop his assault.**

 **"** **Why are you guys doing this to me?" I whine helplessly from the floor.**

 **"** **Why are we doing this to you?" Butch sneers down at me. "Now that's a really stupid question. I thought you were smarter than that. No, I'm tired of you, little Miss Innocent. Your always getting the Tunnel Snakes into trouble." He licks at me again, this time the toe of his boot connecting painfully with my jaw.**

 **"** **I don't get you in trouble, you get yourselves in trouble," I manage to reply through the blood spilling from my mouth from my bit tongue and probable busted lip.**

 **"** **Liar," Wally says as he starts to hit my back and shoulders with the lead pipe in his hand. My body bows as I howl in pain and try to roll away from my tormentors. "Liar!" he shouts again as he redoubles his efforts and lands a blow at the base of my skull. White spots dance across my vision then the world fades to black.**

 **Vaguely, through the haze, I can hear Butch and Wally discussing where to ditch their weapons and then the heavy metal door latching securely behind them.**

 **The next thing I remember is a blinding white light and Dad's frantic voice calling out to me. "Lilith? Lilith, please tell me you can hear me baby. I need you to wake up, please wake up. I can't lose you -not like I lost your mother- please honey, wake up."**

 **A/N: WHOOOO! So, there it was as always feedback is love and request/suggestions are always welcome my lovlies!**


	11. The Fast and the Living

**_A/N:(Because I have no idea what to do with Lilith's story right now, I'm gonna start up something different and yes, I will be specifying who's POV I'm writing from. Enjoy peoples.)_**

Chapter 10  
The Fast and the Living  
(Tex's POV)

Little Lamplight.

I used to live there once upon a time. It seems like so long ago that I was really that young, even though it's been like three years since I've been out of there. Little Lamplight is a small settlement deep in the Lamplight caverns in the westward parts of the Wasteland, made by children. It's roomy enough and the food is decent- hell we were safe from Raiders, Slavers, Ghouls and Super Mutants down there so it was a nice set up. The only catch is that once you reach sixteen, you have to leave because you're a grown up. That's when you make the three day hike to Big Town, northeast of Little Lamplight and a few hours walk from the German Town Police Station, a notorious Super Mutant hive.

I never made it to Big Town when it was my turn to walk; I got picked up by the Talon Company. That's where my story begins. I've spent about two and a half years in the employment of the Talon Company, the most merciless mercenaries for hire in the Capital Wasteland. For the right price there was always someone willing to get their hands dirty. I've done my fair share too even though it's not exactly something I'm exactly proud of. I did what I had to and everyone has his price, mine just happens to come at the cost of my dignity.

I was on a mission with the Thirty-Second Scavenger squad to march on a tiny settlement about a day's walk from Megaton called Areful when I got my chance to abandon the Talon Company. Our mission was simple enough: raid for supplies, kill whoever interfered and sell the women to Paradise Falls, but what no one thought to warn us about the Mirelurks that live in the river that flows under the settlement built on a half- gone overpass. We lost half of the squad to the overgrown shellfish and I abandoned while the others fought.

I ran up the over pass to Areful. It wasn't easy, but I convinced the default mayor Evan King to let me stay in town until the remainder of my squad was dead. He did, and in return I spent the night to ensure there was no attack on the settlement by the Family, one of the most notorious gangs in the Wasteland. They slaughtered mindlessly and kept the small village in a constant fear of attack. I almost felt sorry for them. Almost. The night was uneventful and so I took my leave the next morning. I walked southeast for a while, but I didn't manage to find the town I was looking for. The name was Megaton. I always heard good things about that place, but my work with Talon Co. never took me anywhere close to it, until now.

I ran into the good Dr. Hoff and was able to trade for a few much needed supplies. He's not really a doctor, but he had some of the best chems outside of Paradise Falls and Rivet City. I traded my armor for something a little more low-key because no doubt before the week was out that they would be looking for me. I stopped in at a small farmhouse near the Springvale Elementary school in what used to be Springvale, and to my great surprise and delight, the house turned out to be the hideout of an ex-whore named Glitter(1). She thought I was after her money, some hired gun for Moriarty. I didn't know who the hell he was and I told her so. I suppose it might've been easier to tell her I was working for him so I can get her money, but I didn't. I traded some of the chems I had for a place to stay and directions to Megaton. Turns out that if I would've continued that direction I was going I would've hit the outskirts in a few hours.

The next morning, I go to raid the elementary school for sellables, but instead I find a large man dying outside of the raider hive. He was big like a bull and bout as stubborn as one too cause the way he was bleeding he should've been unconscious in a matter of minutes and dead within the hour.

"Hey, you, yea you with the blonde hair," the large man called out to me. "Get your ass over here. Help me get to Megaton alive and in return I won't kill you." I stared at him in disbelief.

"You can't walk," I pointed out, "and if you can't walk, then how do you suppose to stop me if I decide to walk away and leave you here to rot?"

He pulled a scoped .44 magnum from the pack by his leg and held it up in the early morning light. "This has a scope and I'm a damn good shot so if you walk away I'll shoot you in the back of the head, drag myself to where you fall and skull-fuck your corpse till I get bored."

"Fair enough." I walk over to where he lay and help him up, throwing one arm over my shoulder as he pushes himself up with a fallen two by four and uses it as a crutch. Together we limped slowly up away from the school and to the metal wall encasing this bull's only hope of salvation.

"Johnny," he grunts as we sit on a rock to rest, he shifts to pull a bottle of vodka from his pack. He unstoppers it, takes a swig and passes it to me.

"Tex," we shake hands and I take a swig of my own, the liquor burning all the way down. "Looks like it's just me and you from here on out," I comment passing the bottle.

"Looks like," he agrees.

 **(1): I couldn't remember the girl's name so I just went with that. Please don't be mad if I'm wrong cause I promise to fix it as soon as I figure out her real name. Also, sorry for taking so long to update! I wasn't dead just lazy with writers block *sigh* till next time then.**


	12. What's Your Story?

Chapter 11  
What's Your Story?  
(Tex's POV)

"So where you from?" I ask Johnny in a low voice as Doc Church –the Megaton doctor- patches him up with a few Stimpacks.

"Canterbury Commons." His reply is cut short with a hiss as the doctor sticks a needle on one side of his open wound. We both watch in silence as he pulls the needle through, tight, and the flesh pulls towards itself with little resistance. My gaze drifts back to Johnny's face as his head tilts to the side as he watches the needle weave, entranced by the silver metal. His eyes are dark and empty. His face is weathered and hard. He catches me watching him and smiles, a predator's smile. My blood runs cold when he sighs contently when peroxide is dabbed on the stitches.

"That should hold for a while as long as you're not stupid and break another stitch," the doctor cautions moving to clean up his supplies and put them away. "Try not to get this injured or wait as long as you did before seeking medical attention," he gets up and turns his back to us, restacking supplies. "Or if you do at least have the curtesy to die outside of our town. I don't wanna be responsible for burying another John Doe."

He holds his hand out for his payment and Johnny pulls himself up off the bed and stands unsteadily on his feet. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a sack of caps and throws it on the bed before limping from the clinic without another word.

Not knowing what else to do I pick up the pouch, place it in Church's outstretched palm and nod to him. He eyes me suspiciously as I leave. From the corner of my eye I watch him ease open the pouch and count out his money.

I catch up with the bull-headed man as he's limping up the ramp that leads to the local saloon. "I'm gonna bet me some good booze and a decent lay. You're welcome to share the tab just not the broad," he glares at me. I hold my hands up in surrender not arguing over some neighborhood trick.

He stays silent, not objecting when I walk ahead of him and into the front door of Moriarty's Saloon. The Ghoul behind the bar "welcomes" me and a redhead in a low cut top saunters up to me.

"You looking for a good time big boy?" she runs a hand down my chest, tugging at my waistband.

"If it's all the same to you," I remove her hand and duck around her to the bar, sitting on one of the stools. "I'd rather just have a few drinks and black out." I turn away from her and face the Ghoul. "Gimme a whiskey, hold the water." He flashes me a lopsided grin before turning to pour my drink. The saloon door opens again and Johnny limps in.

"Thanks for leaving me like that Tex," he clears the door and it shuts behind him. "You're one hellva guy," he comments before turning to the redhead that was just all over me. "Hey beautiful, would you mind helping me up the stairs nd outta these clothes? I just got stitches nd Doc said he don't wanna see my mug back in for a while." He flashes a grin at her and she returns it.

"Sure thing baby, long as you got the caps." She lifts an arm and slides it around her waist. He pulls her closer and they start to the stairs, passing cheesy innuendos back and forth.

"That's the second time in a long while that I have ever seen a man shoot down Nova like that," the Ghoul comments as he places my drink in front of me. "Name's Gob, holler if you need anything else." He waves halfheartedly and turns back to the old radio he's been trying to beat into submission. "Stupid radio," he mutters before turning it off and grabbing his rag to wipe the glasses behind the bar. I sat quietly nursing my whiskey willing it to help me forget just as the creak of metal starts up. I shake my head in disbelief as I feel someone watching me.

I look out of the corner of my eye to find a blonde with her hair pulled into a high ponytail staring at me. I raise an eyebrow and she smiles getting up from her seat. She sits next to me and looks me up and down before sticking out her hand. "Hi there," she says cheerfully. "I'm Lucy West." She stares at me expectantly.

"Congratulations," I deadpan before finishing my whiskey and waving to Gob for another. "I ain't staying here long so I fail to see why I should tell you anything about me." Her face falls and a moment later she retracts her hand looking like a kicked puppy.

"Well I thought you may be interested in a job but seeing as you're such a brute I guess I can ask someone else," she crosses her arms and pouts.

"Look little girl, a job usually means I get payed. I have somewhere to be. I don't have time to babysit you so you better make me one hell of an offer or get the hell outta my face and let me enjoy my booze in peace." I snap at her before taking the shot and motioning for yet another refill.

"I am not a little girl and if you were to take this letter to Davis and Matilda West in Areful they would pay you handsomely for your time." She smiles and pulls a small envelope from her satchel and holds it up between us.

"Sorry toots but I just came from there and I ain't in the mood to make that trip again." I push myself from the bar and stumble my way towards the stairs as Nova pads down. I salute her and she just nods and continues to button her blouse. I stare drunkenly at the stairs before taking a deep breath and start tripping up them.

When I make it up the stairs Johnny is already relaxing on the bed. "'Bout time you made it up here," he laughs, "Was Nova limping on her way down?" He grunts and shifts around. "I worked her good." I say nothing and fall on the other side of the bed. Johnny again says nothing about my lack of response for which I am grateful. "I heard tell of a few Vault rats showing up just northeast of here and Eulogy is paying top dollar if we can find them. What do ya say?"

"My- my Talon Co. days are over Johnny…if I find a Vault rat, I think I'll keep her for myself…"

 **A/N:So, I'm back! I know this ain't exactly my proudest work but I think till I can think of a decent idea I'll just play with different POV's.**


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